Police hunt fuel tanker driver accused of theft and arson

Morogoro. Police in Morogoro are searching for a fuel tanker driver accused of conspiring to steal fuel and setting fire to the vehicle to destroy evidence.

Regional Police Commander, Alex Mkama, said the incident occurred on the night of March 16.

The suspect, Abubakari Mwichangwe, a resident of Dar es Salaam, was driving a fuel-laden tanker with registration number T 661BXR/ T 489 BHC, owned by Meru Company.

The vehicle was en route from Dar es Salaam to Lubumbashi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), when the alleged crime took place.

According to Mr Mkama, the suspect conspired with three individuals, to siphon fuel from the tanker.

After the theft, the driver continued his journey with an empty lorry and, allegedly, drove it into a ditch at Msufini, Msimba village, along the Mikumi-Iringa road, in an apparent attempt to stage an accident.

"We suspect the driver conspired with three other individuals to steal the fuel. After the theft, he attempted to deceive his employer by staging an accident,” the police commander said.

 He later set fire to the vehicle in an attempt to destroy evidence, but alert residents managed to extinguish the flames and informed the police," said Mr Mkama.

The police commander says the suspects allegedly stole 35,700 litres of diesel valued at Sh77,112,000, which was offloaded at various oil stations.

Commander Mkama said the search for Mwichangwe was ongoing, adding that police were working closely with regulatory bodies, including the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), to further investigate the matter.

Following the incident, the regional police commander issued a stern warning to drivers against engaging in fraudulent activities for personal gain. He also commended the residents of Msimba village for their swift action in reporting the fire and assisting in the investigation.

Journalists who visited the affected fuel stations in Morogoro found them shut down since March 16 due to the ongoing probe. Nearby residents confirmed seeing law enforcement officers sealing off the premises.

Said Abdalah, a trader near one of the stations, recounted seeing police and unidentified officials arriving to shut down operations.

"As I was attending to my shop, I saw a police vehicle arrive with officers and other officials. They left after sealing off the station, and since 18 March, it has not been operational. When I inquired, I was told that stolen fuel had been offloaded into the underground tanks," he said.